Secondary electric clock.



No. 7ll,649. Pafented Oct. 2|, I902.

J. J. STOCKALL, SR.

SECONDARY ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application fllod lab. 26, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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JAMES JOHN STOCKALL, SR, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SECONDARY ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,649, dated October 21, 1902.

Application filed February 26, 1901. Serial No. 48,908. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES JOHN STOOKALL, 81"., watch and clock manufacturer, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Fermc Park road, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearing for Clocks, Checking Instruments, Gages, Indicators, and the Like, (for which I have applied for a patent in England, dated January 2,1901, No. 134;) and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to apparatus or mechanism for actuating the hands or pointers of clocks, checking instruments, gages, indicators, and the like by imparting rotation to a cog or other wheel, or by permitting such cog or other wheel to revolve through any given angle at each pulsation of the mechanism by a step-by-step action at regular or irregular intervals. The result I seek to attain is the production of mechanism capable of feeding an ordinary cog-wheel the desired number of teeth or checking the feed where such cog or other wheel is rotated by other means in order that the hand or pointer attached to or worked by the said wheel may rotate through a given angle only and also of locking the same during the period it is required to be at rest and also of eliminating all backlash and vibration from such wheel during the action of the mechanism.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into practice, I will now describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is an elevation, some parts being removed; Fig. 2, a plan, and Fig. 3 an outside elevation, of a gearing or movement constructed according to my invention, and in which drawings like letters denote like parts.

The gearing depicted in the drawings is actuated by an electromagnet,of which I make a special point of winding one end only, thereby effecting a saving of current.

a is the wheel to be rotated. 12 is the spindle thereof, which may carry the hands of a clock or the pointer of any other dial or face,

and more especially where many such hands or pointers are required to read in unison with and are controlled by one central or master instrument at a small or great distance apart therefrom.

c is the bar, or more commonly known in clockwork as the pallets, each end thereof being termed a pallet; but as my mechanism may be applied to numerous other instruments, as hereinbefore indicated, I shall for the sake of simplicity in setting forth my invention call it the bar. The bar 0 is furnished at or near each of its ends with a pin or projection.

d is the pin at the locking end of the bar, and e is the pin at the feeding end of the bar.

fis afurther pin or projection also fixed in the bar, in this instance at the locking end. The pin (1 at the locking end of the bar projects through both sides thereof and is made of such a length that it will engage the teeth of the wheel and also work in the guiding slots or slot g, this slot permitting the pin d to move only to and from the center of wheel a. In this manner whenever the pin d is engaged between the cogs of the wheel a it is absolutely locked. The slot g performs furtherfunctions. Itnotonlydeterminesthe length of travel or toand-fro motion of the bar, but also causes the feeding end of the bar to tip as soon as the pin cl comes in contact with the end of the slot, the power being applied at the extremity of the pin f. Thus the pinf and the bar 0 act after the manner of a bell-crank, the end of the slot being the pivot. The slot g may be formed in a separate plate, thereby rendering its easy adjustment to the frame of mechanism, or it may be cut in the said frame. Contiguous to the bar e I pivot a pawl h, provided with a spring, weight, or other device in order that the tendency of the pawl may be always to return to its stop 2'. The end-of the bar 0, carrying the pin 0, is the feeding end and is capable of a radial movement with the teeth of the wheel a in addition to the toand-fr0 motion. The up-and-down or step-by-step movement of the feeding end of the bar 0 is limited by the fixed stop-pins 7c and l. The distance apart of the said two pins determines the number of teeth to be fed or the number of degrees through which the wheel a is required to revolve at each beat or pulsation of the mechanism.

m is a pawl or click acted upon by a spring or weight, causing it to be always in contact with the teeth or cogs of the wheel a. The pawl m is so formed that it permits the wheel a to revolve or be revolved in one direction only.

0 is the rocking arm fixed on the spindle g, which spindle is pivoted to the frame of the mechanism.

p is the armature and is provided with the adjustable weight '1" for the purpose of throwing it away from the magnet.

' n is a weight attached to the bar 0, causing it to feed when required.

3 is the wound pole or end of the electromagnet.

t is that unwound.

I may employ springs, magnetic, pneumatic, or other power thoughout my mechanism instead of weights, according to the position of or duties my mechanism is required to perform.

The action is as follows: Power is transmitted by the armature 19 through the spindle q to the arm 0, giving it a rocking or toand-fro motion. The arm 0 is provided with jaws, between which the pin f is inserted, and thus when rocked backward and forward imparts a to-and-fro motion to the bar 0. The first movement pushes the bar 0 across the wheel a in a direction from locking end to feeding end thereof, and in its passage the bar throws back the pawl h away from its stop 71. The pin d engages between the cogs of the wheel a, and. locks it on the locking side. The pin 6 by the same movement is disengaged from the teeth on the feeding side of the wheel. As soon as this motion of the bar is completed and it has traveled the required distance the pin (1 comes in contact with the end of the slot g, the arm 0 still pressing upon the end of the pinfin the same direction. The feeding end of the bar is tipped up or canted until it comes in contact with the stop-pin 70. When the feeding end of the bar 0 comes then in contact with the stop-pin k, the bar clears the pawl h, which flies back to its stop 2' and retains the bar in contact with the stop-pin 70. In this manner the pin 6 is retained opposite the required gap between the teeth in its position ready to engage. The return motion of the rocking arm 0 forces the bar 0 in the direction from feed end to locking end, which disengages the pin cl from between the cogs and engages the pin e. During the process of engagement the feeding end of the bar is retained in position by the pawl h. As soon as the pin 6 has entered the space between the teeth and the locking-pin d has been disengaged therefrom a recess or cnt-away portion of the bar 0 comes opposite the end of the pawl h, which permits the bar to pass. It being no longer supported by thepawl, it becomes under the influence of the weight n, which now carries the wheel a around the desired amount or number of teeth or permits the wheel to rotate the desired amount where such wheel is provided with other power.

The pawl m prevents any backlash of the wheel a during the operation of the mechanism.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the mechanism as feeding one tooth or cog at each pulsation; but I may feed more than one tooth or division by altering the position of the stop-pin 70.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the employment of an electromagnet for the purpose of actuating the apparatus, as it is obvious that the impulses of the rocking arm 0 may be efiected by pneumatic, hydraulic, or other known devices, nor do I confine myself to the precise details or exact arrangement indicated.

I claim 1. An escapement mechanism comprising the toothed wheel a, the bar 0 having pins in opposite ends thereof to engage the teeth of the wheel, a pawl h to support the bar a, a gap or recess inthe bar 0, one end of said bar having longitudinal sliding movement only and the other end having a limited vibratory movement, and means for rocking or'vibrating said bar, substantially as described.

2. An escapement mechanism comprising a suitable frame, a toothed wheel journaled therein, a bar extending diametrically of said wheel, a pivot-pin in one end of said bar having its ends seated in horizontal slots in said frame, said pin engaging the teeth on one side of the wheel, a pin in the opposite end of said bar for engaging the teeth on the opposite side of the wheel, a pawl to support the bar, a gap or recess in the bar, means for efiectiug the movement of said bar, substantially as described.

3. An electric escapement mechanism comprising a suitable frame, a toothed wheel journaled therein, a bar extending diametrically of said wheel and having a gap or recess therein a pawl to support the said bar, a pivot-pin in one end of said bar having its ends seated in horizontal slots in said frame, said pin engaging the teeth on one side of the wheel, a pin in the opposite end of said bar for engaging the teeth on the opposite side of the wheel, an angular projection or arm on one end of said bar, a magnet, a pivoted armature engaging the said projection, substantially as described.

4. An electric escapement mechanism comprising .a suitable frame, a toothed wheel journaled therein, a bar extending diametrically of said wheel, and having a gap, a recess therein, a pawl to support the said bar, a pivot-pin in one end of said bar having its ends seated in horizontal slots in said frame,

said pin engaging the teeth on one side of the wheel, a pin in the opposite end of said bar for engaging the teeth on the opposite and engaging the said projection or arm, snb- [o stantialiy as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my side of the wheel, an angular projection or hand in presence of two witnesses. 5 arm on one end of said bar forming with said bar a bell-crank lever only when the said pivot-pin reaches the end of the said hori- Vitnesses:

zontal slots, a magnet, a pivoted armature, CHARLES SEPTIMUS BERTHEN,

and a. rocking arm operated by said armature WALTER JAMES SKERTEN.

JAMES JOHN STOGKALL, SENIOR. 

